Progress Update

Over the Christmas break, I continued with the editing process and hope to produce a second draft trailer to show my target audience in order to gain feedback. I will then make changes in relation to their comments.

Progress Update

Using the programme 'Garage Band', I have merged together two similar songs from different horror films in order to create a tense atmosphere to my trailer. The audio builds up slowly to a loud finale that I can work into my trailer to ensure the shots used match with the tone of the music.

Progress Update

I have been making changes to the order of shots in my trailer and made decisions on reshoots and extra footage that is needed. I plan to film the required clips this week in order to import and edit them as soon as possible.

Progress Update

In this lesson I began adding the production company logo and text frames into my trailer using the precision editor tool in iMovie

Progress Update

In this lesson I have experimented with inserting an audio clip into my trailer as well as testing different visual effects. I made changes to the white point in particular shots to give a better feel to the trailer and introduced the 'Ken Burns' effect to vary the types of shot used throughout and to prevent the trailer from having too many still shots as it would not maintain a fast pace throughout.

Progress Update

In today's lesson, I began adding the billing block to the bottom of my film poster, as well as making changes to the font styles and colours to create the right effect, using photoshop.

Progress Update

In this lesson I began laying out the basis for my magazine cover, adding a title and main feature article titles to the front page. I included a barcode in the layout and a date and issue number to make the magazine appear official. I plan to carry out a photo shoot with my main antagonist in order to get an appropriate image for the magazine front cover

Notes for images (typical conventions)
antagonist, lighting from beneath to emphasise face (with make up)
dark background/setting - wooded area?
looking into the camera to attract audience attention

Progress Update

I showed various members of my focus group different a rough draft of my trailer and parts that I wish to change in hope that they would provide some guidance. There have therefore been shots I have decided to remove and I have included some that I had originally discarded. I have also been searching for a possible soundtrack to modify and use throughout my trailer in order to build tension and create a scary atmosphere.

Progress Update

I have begun work on editing my film trailer using iMovie. I have inserted audio clips from iMovie to test which would have the best effect throughout the trailer. After importing my footage, I started sorting which clips I would use for my final piece. I have decided to film more to ensure I can extract the best clips from all footage and ensure my character is represented in the correct way. I also hope to record an audio for my trailer - selected lines from the poem 'Antigonish' to create the right effect.

Questionnaire Results

I have compiled the results of my audience questionnaire in order to get feedback on what viewers want from a trailer

Results

The results show that among an age 15-21 target audience, comedy and horror are the two most popular genres and a mixture of social networking, television, Youtube and cinemas are the tools most used to watch trailers. The answers revealed that the on screen image is the most effective part of a trailer, but also that the plot is a key factor when someone is watching a film. This means that I will have to use both a strong image and narrative to attract an audience for my trailer as well as minimising the use of text.

Progress Update

In this lesson, I have been creating possible layouts for my promotional poster using photoshop

Animatic

I have been producing an animatic to get an idea of timings used throughout my trailer

Storyboard

Progress Update

In this lesson I have been creating a storyboard to plan my filming process

Horror Film Shot Types

I have looked at previously used shot types to get an idea of the type I should be using to follow the codes and conventions of typical horror film trailers.

A Film Marketing Campaign - research

Progress Update

I have been working on a word document that is research into film marketing in this lesson, to post once completed

The Film Industry

The Film Industry

Production:

A production company will have to find funding for a new film idea from a distributor. If the distributors enjoy the idea of the film, they will provide funding for the production company to finance the film making. The three main stages of production are

1. Pre-production - planning, designing, casting etc

2. Production - shooting the film

3. Post-production - editing, adding sound and special effects

Distribution:

A film distributor is a company or individual responsible for releasing films to the public either theatrically or for home viewing (DVD, Video-On-Demand, Download, Television programs through broadcast syndication etc.)

Once the film has been produced then the distributors begin to market the film with posters, interviews, merchandise, soundtracks and trailers. Seeing as the distributor provided most of the money for the film they receive the majority of the profit.

Exhibition:

Exhibition refers to the showing and screening of the film, for example:

- Cinemas

- DVD rentals and sales

- Television screenings

Distributers and Production Comapanies

I have researched into different production and distribution companies in order to choose the most suitable to produce and distribute my film.



I have decided to use Vertigo Productions as the production company for my film as they seemed the most appropriate due to their experience and they are well established in the film market to ensure recognition for my film.

Focus Group

Advanced Portfolio Focus Group on Prezi

Questionnaire

I posted my questionnaire on twitter.com and tumblr.com to get as many responses as possible from people of my target age group and market

Trailer Research

Trailers - the theory

View more presentations from megkelly.

Film Poster Analysis

Identity

Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rainstorm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they're being killed off one by one. [IMDB]















Teaser trailer

• Introduces the key characters of the film, without revealing too much information about the plot line 
• Kept short to ensure viewer is not bored and to maintain their attention
• Creates confusion for the viewer with quick editing and close up shots of faces 
• Location adds to the effect of the trailer, the use of storms and rain create a more chaotic situation. 
• Editing is used throughout the trailer to create the effect of lightning

Buried

Paul is a U.S. truck driver working in Iraq. After an attack by a group of Iraqis he wakes to find he is buried alive inside a coffin. With only a lighter and a cell phone it's a race against time to escape this claustrophobic death trap. [IMDB]

Teaser Trailer

• Mostly dialogue, leaves audience questioning the plot line
• Heavy breathing and panicky character causes panic for the viewer
• Blank screen creates confusion with only a flash of light revealing the subject
• Based on a widespread fear of being buried alive

Poster Fonts

Possible fonts to use for film promotion:

'Nightmare 5'

'Ghastly Panic'

'Face Your Fears'

Sound/Music/Titles

Antigonish - Hugh Mearns

"Yesterday, upon the stair,

I met a man who wasn’t there

He wasn’t there again today

I wish, I wish he’d go away...

When I came home last night at three

The man was waiting there for me

But when I looked around the hall

I couldn’t see him there at all!

Go away, go away, don’t you come back any more!

Go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door... (slam!)

Last night I saw upon the stair

A little man who wasn’t there

He wasn’t there again today

Oh, how I wish he’d go away"

Incorporate lines of poem with scenes in film - shot of empty stairs with sound of heavy footsteps and the slam of a door, accompanied by the line 'go away, go away, and please don't slam the door'

Codes and Conventions of Horror Movie Trailers

• Villain - usually surrounded by darkness, face rarely seen
• Victim - displayed in different colours to show innocence and neutrality 
• Tension
• Eerie music 
• Ghosts, spirits, evil
• Fear and panic
• Stormy/bad weather
• Supernatural elements
• Majority of characters are quite young - group of teenagers showing vulnerability and naivety 
• Failed attempts of heroism 
• Arrogant characters who have no belief in the villain's existence - often first to be killed off or taunted

Underlined = typical conventions that I will strive to use throughout my film trailer

Proposal

I have chosen to produce a trailer for a horror film, I will have to follow closely, the codes and conventions of typical horror movies and ensure I research thoroughly into existing trailers.

Title of Brief: promotion package for a new film, including a teaser trailer.

Outline of ideas:

A trailer for a horror film, house is haunted by a spirit that only 'comes out' when taunted by the occupants, will show a group of teenagers thinking it a joke, they then proceed to get followed and taunted by the spirit of Polly.

Auxiliary Products:

Promotion package, Film magazine cover and Poster for the film

Target Audience: (age, gender, socio/economic group)

15

How will your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

- Black and white.

What is your inspiration?

'Identity', 'The Unborn',

How will your main product and ancillary texts compliment each other?

Screenshots form the trailer and images of the main antagonist will be used on the poster and magazine to ensure the film is recogisable

How will you use media technologies in the construction and research, planning and evaluation stages?

Internet research, software such as iMovie for construction and Photoshop for magazine and poster

How will you incorporate the following concepts?

Genre: dull colour scheme, solemn and slow music to build tension,

Audience: Classification 15

Film Trailer Brief

History of Film

Post-modernism
In media and film, post-modernism refers to the situation where one text is referenced in another, where particular codes and conventions are expected and the affect of cultural references on the audiences' understanding.
Intertextualality
The shaping of a text's meaning by other texts
Pastiche 
The reference of one film in another e.g 'Anuvhood' was made in reference to 'Kidulthood'
The beginnings of film - 1890
- Crank cameras were used where the film has to physically be pushed through
- 17 meters of film = 50 seconds. Films were always very short due to practicalities
- Lumiere Brothers were ground breaking in the late 1800s


La Voyage dans la Lune by George Méliès - 1902
- Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight Tonight video recreates the film 


Meanings in media are mediated - what the audience is bringing to the text as well as what it brought to them

Examiner's Report 2011

10 keys points that could help you prepare an effective portfolio:
1. Candidates frequently spent substantial time planning the main production but hardly considered their ancillary tasks.
2. Candidates had presented their pre-production material with a director’s commentary
3. Combined performance and narrative to good effect, with a variety of camera work used creatively and with appropriate editing.
4. The best teaser trailers showed excellent understanding of the genre, being short in length and consisting of numerous shots that were tightly edited.
5. Candidates seemed to spend so little time (or had little knowledge of) the importance of the lighting and composition of images in their principal shoots that they were left with sub-standard original material to work with.
6. The best videos combined performance and narrative to good effect, with a variety of camera work used creatively and with appropriate editing.
7. Best practice made creative and varied use of digital technology in the presentation of work, using such things as video, audio, PowerPoint and freely available presentation software online such as Prezi and Scribd.
8. Candidates whose responses are limited to essay style prose, whether on a blog or PowerPoint presentation illustrated by some still images, do not demonstrate excellence in the use of digital technology in the presentation of their work.
9. Images were best when thought had been given to pose, expression, props, lighting, costume and setting and when subsequent use of image software enhanced the photos appropriately.
10. Camerawork was often far too limited, particularly lacking in close ups and with insufficient attention paid to framing.

Short films and Film trailers - last year's entries

Lessons learned:
- use a tripod to keep shots steady
- think about sound levels when filming and editing
- ensure the pace of editing is suitable for the genre of the film
- trailers need to be attention grabbing, some began too slowly and told too much of the story
- close up shots work better than establishing shots in some film trailers
- what institutions are likely to produce the film?
- Horror movies - juxtaposition between the image and sound and sometimes less can be more
- The editing process is extremely important
- Use a variety of locations
- Use the rule of thirds

About A Girl Response

About A Girl is an award winning short film, roughly 9 minutes in length, that follows a 13 year old girl and her internal monologue. After what I felt was a boring start to the film, I began to sympathise with her character as it is revealed she is very lonely within her family, this view is emphasised with the use of different camera angles and shots to make her seem more isolated. We find out her parents are divorced and neither her mother nor her father spend a great deal of time with her. It takes two viewings of the film to appreciate the references she makes throughout. Slight comments and anecdotes such as the story of her and her brother getting a dog and keeping it well hidden from their mother has great reference to the end scene of the film which can only be picked up during a second viewing. Also, the Britney Spears lyrics play a large role in the story, she sings "I'm not that innocent' which is obvious by the end of the film, however, this is juxtaposed with her final statement in reference to buying a 99 ice cream. This shows that although she has dealt with all the drama, she is still only a child. The film was shocking, and towards the end attention grabbing dealing with current issues of the country today.

The Phone Call